According to the will of Alfred Nobel, founder of the Nobel Peace Prize, the annual award should honor the person who has “done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses.”
Apparently, to pro-Beijing lawmaker Junius Ho, that lofty description screams Hong Kong Police Force.
On his Facebook page on Friday, the firebrand legislator shared the link of a Tencent-powered questionnaire. The questionnaire, which is really just a petition, asks respondents to vote whether or not they support nominating Hong Kong police for the Nobel Peace Prize.
The premise of the survey, and what exactly it seeks to inform, is unclear given that the deadline for the 2020 prize was back in February, and the winner will be announced in October. (Unless, of course, the survey organizers are targeting next year’s awards.)
Called “Support Hong Kong Police Force competing for honorary awards,” the survey was created by pro-Beijing groups Politihk Social Strategic and 23 Alliance.
Read more: Chairperson of Hong Kong pro-Beijing group caught on video dumping Apple Daily newspaper into bin
It calls for responses to two statements: “I support the nomination of Hong Kong police for the Nobel Peace Prize” and “I support the nomination of Hong Kong police for CCTV’s ‘Touching China’ awards,” an accolade that in the words of a writer for Chinese state media Global Times, honors the “actions of brave, extraordinary citizens.”
Those who answer can pick from “support,” “don’t support” and “no comment.”
On Ho’s Facebook post, netizens said they had signed the survey-slash-petition.
“Support Junius Ho! Support Hong Kong police! Signed!” One person wrote.
According to the Nobel Foundation, university professors, members of national governments and persons affiliated with the Norwegian Nobel Committee can submit nominations.
Previous winners of the Nobel Peace Prize include activist Malala Yousafzai, who fought for female education in Pakistan, and Chinese writer and Communist Party critic Liu Xiaobo.
The winner of the Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on Oct. 9. Hong Kong protesters have been nominated at least twice, last year by a Norwegian Liberal Party politician and in February by a group of US bipartisan lawmakers.
Reader Interactions